KOR
▲ Heatwave
As the heatwave prolongs nationwide, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it activated Level 2 of the Central Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters effective at 1:00 PM today (the 2nd) to further strengthen pan-governmental response measures.
This marks the second time Level 2 of the countermeasures headquarters has been issued due to a heatwave, following the initial issuance in August 2023.
Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung instructed senior officials from central ministries and local governments to conduct on-site inspections once a week or daily to reinforce the field-oriented response system.
In addition, director-general-level on-site general managers will be dispatched to the Seoul metropolitan area and the southern region (including South Gyeongsang Province), and on-site situation managers will be dispatched nationwide to directly inspect regional heatwave response situations and necessary support.
Minister Yoon then visited Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, where both the heatwave and drought have recently intensified simultaneously, to inspect the response efforts on-site.
As multiple heavy heatwave warnings have been issued primarily in the southern region, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to provide 170 million won in disaster relief funds to be used for operating cooling centers and purchasing relief supplies for vulnerable groups.
Furthermore, the ministry decided to provide an emergency disaster safety special grant of 5.75 billion won to drought-stricken areas such as South Gyeongsang and North Gyeongsang provinces, which are experiencing difficulties in water supply due to insufficient precipitation and declining reservoir water levels.
Minister Yoon stated, "Heatwaves and droughts are disasters that directly threaten not only the livelihoods of farmers but also the daily lives of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and outdoor workers." He added, "Through the operation of Level 2 of the countermeasures headquarters, we will more closely manage the response situations of central and local governments, and make every effort to minimize public damage by swiftly providing the necessary administrative and financial support in the field."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
